Method of and means for reclaiming printed tapes, etc



J. A. SPENCER METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .[dmzs/i S m' ATTORNEYJune 19, 1928.

J. A. SPENCER METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TA PES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .lNVENTOR James I. .iq c' ATTORNEYJune 19, 1928. 1,674,184

J. A. SPENCER HOD OF AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .1 iii Hi Filed April 15, 1926 INVENTOR James 17.Spencer (sou/MA ATTORNEY June 19, 1928. 7 1,674,184

J. A. SPENCER v AND MEANS FOR RECLAIMING PRINTED TAPES, ETC

Filed April 15, 1926 METHOD OF INVENTOR I James 6'. Spa/100" ATTORNEYPatented June 19, 1928. I

UNITED STATES JAMES A. SIPENCEB, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND MEAN S FOB RECLAIHINGPBINTED TAPES, ETC

Application filed April 15; 1928. Serial No. 102,284.

The object of my invention is to clean or wash the ink from printedtapes or strips to permit the re-use thereof. My invention isparticularly applicable to cleaning printed characters, ink etc. fromtape or strips of suitable material commonly used in connection withstock, bond and news tickers. My invention i'sespecially adapted toremove the printed ink characters, etc., from translucid strips or tapesupon which stock, bond and news items are printed and thereafterprojected on a screen for observation of the printed matter on anenlarged scale, such as is used in the New York Stock Exchange. brokersofiices and in analogous relations, whereby stock and bond quotationsand news may be observed from a distance by a number of peoplesimultaneously.

My invention may be used for cleaning or washing the printed characters,ink, etc. from tapes or strips after the same have passed from the stockticker and through a projecting machine in such a way that the a tape orstrip will be reclaimed, cleaned and rolled up ready for re-use asrapidly as it is released from the ticker, or my improvement may be usedfor cleaning the tape or strip at any time after the same has beenprinte in the ticker without passing directly therefrom to my improvedtape cleaning devices.

In the particularembodiment of my invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, the tape after it is printed and passes from astock or news ticker, travels through a projection machine. or apparatusfrom which the printed matter is projected or reflected on a screen, andthe ta e-passes thence through a bath of a non-in ammable cleaningsolution for dissolving the ink, -whence the washed tape or strip passesthrough devices to remove therefrom any residue cleaning solution thatmay adhere to the tape, the cleaned tape preferably passing to a take-upspool upon which the washed or reclaimed tape is wound for further use.My invention comprises means for passing the printed tape or stripthrough the cleaning solution and winding it upon a take-up spoolsubstantially in accordance with the feeding of the tape from theticker, the operation of the take-up spool being controlled by thefeeding of the tape in such a way that when the ticker stops feeding thetape the take-up spool will automatically stop operation at a propertime and, in case the take-up spool should tend to wind up the tapefaster than it is fed from the solution, the spool will be caused tostop operation at an appropriate time so as not to pull the tape undulywith respect to its feeding means.

' My invention also comprises novel details of improvement that willbemore fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating my invention asapplied in connection with a stock or news ticker;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partly broken, of parts shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an edge view, partly in section, looking from the left handside of Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the take-up spool;, v

Fig. 4 is a detail view looking from the left hand side of Fig. 3,illustrating parts detached;

Fig. 5' is a vertical section through Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views illustrating controllin devicesfor the reclaimingmeans in di erent positions of operation; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tape cleaning devices.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

t 1 is indicated a stock or news ticker .of any suitable or well knownconstruction of the variety provided with a printing wheel 2 forprinting'stock quotations, news mattenetc. upon a tape or strip A. Thetape A may be supplied to the ticker from a reel A in any usual way. At3 is indicated, in a generally diagrammatic manner, a socalledprojecting apparatus through which the printed tape from the tickerpasses, and which is adapted to project the printed matter from the tapeupon a screen or other objectB for observation of the printing as on anenlarged scale. a For such purpose the tape A. may be translucid'. Astock quotation projection machine suitable for the purpose is set forthin Letters Patent to Ashbel Green, No. 1,523,7 67 granted J anuary 20,1925. At 4 is indicated, generally my improved apparatus for reclaimingthe tape or strip A as by washing the printed matter from the sameduring its travel. At 5 is a tank, shown open on the top, adapted tocontain a suitable cleaning solution or fluid for tlie\printing ink onthe tape, preferably a non-inflammable solution which will not injurethe tape but will dissolve or loosen the ink thereon. The tape A is fedthrough the solution in the tank and is shown passing over an upper edgeof the tank and between a pair of pads or rubbers 6, 7 maintained in thetank below the level of the solution, (Figs. 3 and 5). The pads orrubbers may be of felt and are adapted to rub or brush the dissolved orloosened ink from the surface of the tape. The lower pad 6 is stationaryand the upper rubber or pad 7 is movable toward and from the lowerrubber or pad to admit the tape therebetween, and is shown resilientlypressed toward rubber or pad 6 to correspondingly bear upon the printedside of the tape passing between the rubbers or pads. The frame of theapparatus is preferably made in two sections Band 9 detachably connectedtogether for convenience in threading the tape between the rubbers orpads and various buflers or rollers to be described. While the lower pad6 may be supported in any suitable way I have shown the same sup: portedupon the removable section 9 of the main frame, which section is shownprovided with a cross bar 10 upon which the pad 6 is secured. The rubberor pad. 7 1s secured to a block 11 to which a rod 12 is attached, whichrod is slidably guided in a bore in a cross bar 13 secured between theside plates of the frame section 9. Said rod carries a stop or collar 14against which a coil spring15 on the rod bears, said spring also bearingagainst the cross bar 13, (Fig.

5), whereby the rubber or pad 7 isresiliently vpressed toward pad 6. Thelower end of the section 9 with the rubbers or pads 6, 7 is locatedwithin the bath of solution or fluid in tank 5, whereby when the tape ispulled through the bath in contact with the rubbers or pads the type onthe tape, which has been dissolved or loosened by the soluti0n,'will bemore or less removed from the tape. The section 9 may be detachably con-'nected with section 8 of the main frame by'me ans of hooks 16 onsection 9 adapted to engage'notches or the like 17 in the adjacentvertical edges of the frame section 8, (Figs. 2and 4) whereby thesection 9 is hungffrom the section8 with the edges of the sectionsabutting and the sect-ion 9 is shown provided with pivotally supported 1pass between them, which rubbers or buffers are more or'less within thetank 5 ;-and aresubject to the solution therein, so

as to rotate against the tape with a rubbing or wiping action whileit=is wet from the solution. V The rubbers or buffers 21 ma comprisefelt or other suitable relativel soft-material to act in the nature ofbrushes.

25 and 26 receive the tape between them and areloca'ted above the bathsoas to serve for drying the tape by rubbing or brushing against thesame. .The shaft 27 of rubber or buffer 25 is journaled upon framesection 9, and the shaft 28 of rubber or buffer 26 is journaled uponframe section 8. Above the rubbers or buffers 25 and26 are feed rollers29 and 30 for the tape. The shaft 31 of roller 29 is journaled upon theframe section 8 and the shaft or spindle 32 of roller 30 is carried bythe forked portion 33 of an arm 33 that is pivoted upon a pin ,or shaft34 carried by an extension 8 of frame section 8, (Flgs. 1 and 4). Theouter or free end of arm 33 is connected with a spring 35 attached to anadjusting screw 36 that is slidable in a bore in a bar 37 secured to theextension 8, a nut 38 on the screw operating against the bar 37 servingto adjust the screwlengthwise and retain it in set position for varyingthe tension of spring 35 with respect The periphery 'of roller 29 ispreferand rollers. I have illustrated a worm wheel 39 that is secured onshaft 31 of roll 29 and in mesh with a driving'worm 40 upon a shaft 41journaled in bearings upon frame section 8, which shaft is driven by asuit-- able electric motor 42, whereby the feed roll 29 will rot-ate inthe direction of the arrow (1!.

in Fig. 5 forf eeding'thecleaned tapefrom the tank, (Fig. 5). The shaft313s pro vided with a gear 43, (shown on the sidaof frame section'8opposite worm wheel 39), which gear is in mesh with a pinion or gear .44secured upon the upper end .of a vertically disposed shaft/45 journaledin bearings 46 on-the adjacent side of frame section 8, (Figs. 3 and 4).The shaft 45 is provided witha bevel gear 47 in mesh with acorresponding gear 48 on shaft 28, and shaft 45 is provided with anothergear 49 in mesh with a bevel gear 50 on shaft 24. The shaft 28 isprovided with a gear 51 adapted to mesh with a, gear 52 secured on shaft27 whereby the buffers 25 and 26 will 130 berota ted in oppositedirections against the and ,36.

01:,Pllll6d through the solution after being released from the ticker ata speed approximating the speed at which the tape is delivered from theticker. During such feed of the tape by the rollers 29 and 30 therotation of the buffers or rollers 21, 22 and 25,

'26 in engagement with the tape will serve to clear all dissolved inkfrom the tape and deliver the tape from the apparatus in a substantiallydry condition. The pairs of buffers 21, 22 and 25, 26 are shownstaggered, respectively, in such a manner as to force the tape againstthem with the surface of the tape uponwhich the printing was producedagainst the surface of the buffers 21 and 25. Since the gears 52 and 54are on the shafts 27 and 23 that are carried by the frame section 8 saidgears will be unmeshed from the corresponding gears 51 and 53 when saidsection is removed from section 8 and will be correspondinglyintermeshed when section 9 is replaced against section 8. Theremovability of section 9 from. sect-ion 8 of the main frame permitsready location of the tape between the brushing or bufiing rollers whena tape is to be cleaned from printing, and the rocking of arm 33 permitsthe tape to be inserted between the rolls 29 and 30 when a new tape isapplied in a machine.

At 55 is a take-up spool for the cleaned tape, the shaft 56 of whichspool is journaled upon an arm 8 of frame section 8, (Fig. 1). The spoolmay be detachably connected with shaft 56 in any well knownand suchspool is of the grooved variety. I have shown shaft 56 provided with pin57 adapted to receive a notch 58 in the hub of spool 55 to rotate it,and a nut 59 on the end of the shaft is adapted to bear against theouter side of the spool to detachably retain the spool on the shaft,(Fig. 3). The shaft 56 is shown provided with a pulley 60 receiving abelt 61 from a pulley 62 secured on shaft 31, whereby when said shaft isrotated the spool will be correspondingly rotated to wind up the cleanedtape. The belt may be so adjusted as to slip as required. when the tapeis being wound up to" allow for increasing diameter of the rewound tape,and not to pull the tape too fast respecting its feed from the rollers29 Since the winding or take-up of the cleaned tape upon spool 55 willnot be in the tape will gradually become shallow or reduced in extentand the proexact accord with the feeding of the tape by the ticker, thelatter being fed more or less intermittently as the printing occurs,with stoppage as customary in tickers, I provide means to automaticallycontrol the operation of motor 42, hence the operation of the feedrolls, the buffers and the take upspool 55. I utilize slack in the tapebetween the ticker and the bath for controlling the operation of motor42. In the circuit of the motor I provide spring contacts 63 and 64shown respectively connected to the conductors. 65 and 66 of the motorcircuit, which spring contacts are carried by suitable insulation at 67arranged to make and break the circuit of the motor according to theamount of slack in-tape A, preferably adjacent to the tank 5. Thecontact spring 64 is adapted to be controlled by a rotative member 68,which is' preferably of insulation and secured upon a shaft 69 that isjournaled in a bracket 70 secured upon the insulation 67. The member 68is shown in the form of a .disk provided with a notch 68 having an edgeportion 68 adapted to engage the adjacent curved edge 64 of contactspring 64, (Figs. 6 and 7). The member 68 is shown clamped between disks71 secured upon shaft 69, (Fig. 3). Said shaft is shown provided with anoutwardly projetting arm 69 normally drawn down by a spring 72 shownconnectedwith said shaft and with the base 73, tending to so rotate themember 68 as tomove its edge 68 upwardly to permit closing of thecircuit at 106 sufficient speed to permit IlC member 68 as will-properlymove edge 68 and permit spring contact 64 to rise and close themotorcircuit at contact 63, whereupon the motor will start rotating andwill cause operation of the feed rolls 29 and 30 to pull the tapethrough the solution in the bath, and at the same time will causeoperation of the bufiing or brushing rolls 21, 22 and 25, 26 forcleaning the tape, simultaneously causing operation of the take-up spool55 for winding up the tape fed by the rolls 29 and 30. If the feeding ofthe tape through the solution is faster than the feed ing of the tape bythe ticker the bight A in relatively jeetion 69 will be correspondinglyraised to advance the edge 68 of member 68 to enthat the ticker mayprint and feed the tape as may be required in the ticker service. Thetape will pass through the projector for projecting the printed matterupon the screen, and the type printed upon the ticker information upontape and feed the tape -Will be cleaned therefrom and the tape wound onthe spool for re-use, all in a consecutive manner. .Great saving may beeffected by means'ofmy invention in that the re-use of'the translucid oranalogous tape from which'the printed characters have been removedovercomes the nece sity heretofore experiemed of using a new tape in aticker each time the printing of a tape is required.

While I have referred'to printing information upon tape or strips, as ina stock and news ticker, and cleaning the ink therefrom during progressof the tape through a cleaning solution or compound, it will beunderstood that my invention, in its broad aspects, is adapted to cleanother material from the surfaces of tapes or strips by means of asuitable solution or the like that will dis- 5 solve such materialduring the passage of the tape for reclaiming the tapes or the like forre-use. Furthermore, my invention is not limited to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of' parts set forth, since the same may bevaried, within the scope'of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

By the term solution I mean any suitable substance which will serve todisbe applied, as in the nature of ticker tape,

translucid tape or strips, such as Trans Lux Celophane, and the like. 7

Having now described my invention what I I claim is:

1'. Mechanism of the class described comprising means to apply materialto the surface of tape and feed the tape therefrom, a cleaning solution,and devices to guide and feed the tape through the solution as fed fromthe first named means after said material has been applied on the tape.

- 2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in-

" eluding means controlled by the progress of the tape for feeding thetape through the solution in substantial accord with the feeding of thetape from the first named means.

' face of 3. Mechanism of the class described comprisincr means to applymaterial to the surtape and feed the tape therefrom, a cleaningsolution, means to guide the tape to the solution as fed from the firstnamed means, devices within the solution to engage the tape and removedissolved material there-- from, and means to feed the reclaimed tapefrom the solution.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 3, including means controlled by theprogress of the tape for feeding the tape through the solution insubstantial accord with the feeding of the tape from the first namedmeans.

5. The icombination of means to apply therefrom, means to maintainasolution for dissolving the printed matter from the tape, means toguide the tapeto the solution as fed from the said means, devices toremove the dissolved material from the tape, and means to feed the tapefrom the solutionl 6. The combination of means to apply information upontape as set forth in clai 1 5, in which the devices for removing thpprinted matter from the tape include arub ber within the solution toengage the printed surface of the tape, means resiliently pressing therubber against the tape, and means to feed the tape through thesolution.

7. The combination of means to apply.

information upon tape as set forth in claim 5, in which the devices forremoving the printed matter from the tape include a rubber within thesolution to engage the printed surface of the tape, a rod connected tosaid rubber, guiding means for the rod, a spring cooperating with therod to force the rubber resiliently against the printed surface of thetape, and means to feed the reclaimed tape from the solution.

- 8-. The combination of means' to apply information upon tape and feedthe printed tape, means to maintain a solution for dissolvingthe printedmatter from the tape, devices to remove the dissolved material from thetape, means to feed the tape from the solution, rubbing means within thesolution to remove dissolved printed matter means and the solution tocontrol said last named feeding and rubbing means.

9. The. combination of means to apply information upon tape asset forthin claim 8, comprising a take-up spool for the tape, and means to rotatesaid spool in substantial accord with the feeding of the tape from theapplying means.

10. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape comprising means to applyinformation upon the tape and feedthetape therefrom,

115 from the tape, rotary rubbing means to enmeans to guide the tapethrough a cleaning solution, a take up spool for the reclaimed tape, amotor and devices operative thereby to rotate the spool, a circuit forthe motor, including make and break contacts, and means to actuate oneof the contacts, said means being cooperative with the tape to make andbreak the motor circuit in accordance with the progress of the tape asfed from the applying means.

11. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape as set forth in claim 10, inwhich the means to control the contacts includes a projection inengagementwith the tape for opening and closing the motor circuit inaccordance with'the feed of the tape from the applying means.

12. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape as set forth in claim 10, inwhiclrthe means to control the contacts include a projection inengagement with a bight in the tape between the applying means and thecleaning solution for closing the motor circult to cause operation ofthe take-up spool when the bight of the tape is relatively deep as fedfrom the applying means and for breaking the motor circuit when thebight in the tape is relatively shallow.

'13. Mechanism for reclaiming printed tape comprising means to applyinformation upon the tape and feed the tape therefrom, means to guidethe tape through a cleaning solution, a take-up spool for the reclaimedtape, a motor and devices operative thereby to rotate the spool, acircuit for the motor including make and break contacts, means toactuate one of the contacts to make and break the motor circuit, saidmeans including an insulating member provided with a projecting portionto engage said contact, and a shaft rotatively supporting said member,said shaft being provided with an arm having a projection to engage abight in the tape for causing closing of the circuit of said contactswhen the bight is relatively deep as fed from the applying means and foractuating the said contact to break the motor circuit when the bight isrelatively shallow to stop rotation of the spool and check Winding up ofthe reclaimed tape.

14. Mechanism for reclaiming tape having dissolvable material on itssurface comprising a tank for a dissolving solution, rubbing devices forthe dissolved material on the tape, means to feed the tape through thesolution, driving devices for the feeding means, and means cooperativewith the tape to control the operation of the driving devices incorrespondence with the feeding of the tape.

15. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 14, including atape'up spool for the tape, and means actuated by the driving devicesfor operating the spool to wind up the tape as fed by the tape feedingmeans.

1(3. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 1 1, includinga take-up spool for the tape having a pulley, a pulley operative by thedriving devices, and a belt upon said pulleys adapted to slip when thespool tends to wind tape faster than it is fed by the tape feedingmeans.

17. Mechanism for reclaiming tape having dissolvable material on itssurface comprising a tank for a dissolving soluti n, rubbing devices forthe dissolved material on the tape, rollers to feed the tape, a motor,means operative by the motor to actuate the tape feeding rollers, acircuit for the motor having make and break contacts, and means toactuate the contacts including an arm having means cooperative with thetape to cause the contacts to close or open the motor circuit accordingto the extentof feed of the tape.

18. Mechanism for rcclaimingtape as set forth in claim 17, including atake-u spool for the tape, and means operative )y the motor to actuatethe spool.

19. Mechanism for reclaiming tape com prising a frame having a pluralityof detachable sections, means to detachably retain the sections, a tankfora solution, said frame sections being respectively provided withrollers opposing one another to receive the tape the'rebetwecn afterentering the solution, gears connected with said rollers to drive one byanother, said sections being separable to admit the tape between therollers, means upon the frame to rotate said rollers against the tape,and a motor to drive said means.

20. Mechanism for reclaiming tape as set forth in claim 19, associatedwith means to feed the tape to the solution, circuit controlling meansfor the motor, and means to operate the circuit controlling means,cooperative with the tape to control the motor in accordance with thefeeding of the tape.

JAMES A. SPENCER.

